


Fight Back

by CoffeeOnRainyDays



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Help, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, My First Fanfic, Other, Short One Shot, very short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 15:57:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19298980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeOnRainyDays/pseuds/CoffeeOnRainyDays
Summary: “Mama?”“Yes, Antonio?”“Why don’t you fight back like Cap’n America does with bullies?”





	Fight Back

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starkanium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkanium/gifts).



> I do not own anything, don’t sue me.

“Mama?”

“Yes, Antonio?”

“Why don’t fight back like Cap’n America does with bullies?”

The words were whispered, like that of a child scared of the monster under the bed. Except this little one had scarier things

Maria Stark shifted from where she was kneeling. Her little Stella was hidden by the shadows of his closet, and his voice seemed panicked. She hoped he didn’t see the bruise on her temple.

Antonio continued on, “You always fight when he hits me, but never for yourself. But I know you can!” his voice rose, not to a shout though. Howard got mad whenever they were loud.

Maria sighed. She had always wanted to fight back but…

“Can I come in?” she asked instead. A beat passed, then two, before a pale hand emerged from the darkness. She grabbed the hand and crawled in, settling down next to her son, pulling him into her lap. Antonio immediately adjusted himself so he could rest his head in the crook of her shoulder.

“I know I can fight him. Doesn’t mean I’d win though.” Maria stated, carding her fingers through his hair. “Fighting gets him angrier and that means the beatings get worse.” Antonio flinched.

“Then why fight when he’s mad at me?”

She answered, “Because I don’t want you to get hurt. I fight him when he hits you because then his attention is focused on me and you can run and hide.”

Antonio was quiet for a moment and Maria took advantage of the silence that settled over them. There were no sounds of Howard’s drunken rage or shattering glass. No noise of shouted insults and loud growls- _pathetic little bitch, let me teach the shit a lesson._ \- Just herself and her Stella, her star. Where they could be whoever they wanted and pretend no one could touch them. It was nice to just sit and do nothing, to just sit and be still, a moment where time stood still just for you. Of course, nothing lasts forever.

“Why don’t you fight for yourself? I still don’t understand. He could kill you one day.”

The poor soul was exposed to too much blood and too much pain already, to worry over whether or not they would survive the next day. Maria tried to give him a normal childhood but there were only snatches between the abuse. He would make cookies with Jarvis and Ana whenever Howard was away, play with Aunt Peggy whenever she came by, and Maria would name the different flowers in their garden or teach him how to play the piano.

_Like this Antonio. Yes, like that. Now repeat it over and over again. I’ll do the chorus._

Maria sighed. “Because if I fight back, he gets angrier, and when that happens the beatings get worse.” She repeated. “And if it gets worse, my chances of dying would increase. And if I die.” Her voice faltered. “If I die, who would be here to protect you?” No one. Jarvis couldn’t do anything. Howard had threatened him and his wife. He tried to help once and that got a bullet in Ana’s stomach. She couldn’t have kids now. Peggy Carter had agents to protect, people doing jobs that saved others. Howard could compromise them, and herself, in seconds.

No one else knew. Maria was the only one who could protect Antonio, other than himself, but he was still too young and too small to go against Howard. Besides, not only would the protection be gone, but that would put more mental stress on her son. She herself had been a mess when her mother died and that was when she was an adult. He was just a boy.

Antonio wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled himself up so he was hugging her.  
“Okay, mama.”

“We’ll make it out of here.” She reassured him, running her hands down his back in a manner she hoped was comforting. “We’ll make it out of here. We’ll make a garden and grow all sorts of flowers. We’ll play the piano and play in the rain and everything will be okay.”

“Okay, mama,” he whispered.

She held him closer, pouring all the love she felt for him, trying to make him feel safe.

_And I know you'll get out if I don't._

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry? This is my first fic. Comments and kudos are appreciated. Umm, not sure what else to put here. Thank you for reading!! and Thank You starkanium for helping and inspiring me and being awesome!! and the song Maria plays is Heart and Soul if you wanted to know.


End file.
